Faculty News

May 2022

Tetarenko on Global Team That Reveals Black Hole at Center of Our Galaxy

Texas Tech University's NASA Einstein Fellow, Alexandra Tetarenko (foreground), with the first image of Sagittarius A* (background), the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. The background image is the first direct visual evidence of the presence of this black hole. It was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). Background photo courtesy EHT Collaboration. 

Alexandra Tetarenko, a NASA Einstein Fellow in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, is part of an international research team that has unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. This result provides overwhelming evidence that the object is indeed a black hole and yields valuable clues about the workings of such giants, which are thought to reside at the center of most galaxies. The image was produced by a global research team called the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration, using observations from a worldwide network of radio telescopes. Read the complete article at this link.

Ramkumar Invited as Keynote Speaker at Symposium in Turkey

Seshadri Ramkumar, a professor of chemical countermeasures and advanced materials in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, has been invited to give a keynote speech at the 10th International Fiber and Polymer Research Symposium, May 13-14, 2022, in Bursa, Turkey. The symposium is expected to attract experts in the field from Canada, Greece, Malaysia, Egypt and India, as well as from Turkey and the United States.

National Wind Institute Marks 50 Years of Research

Texas Tech University's National Wind Institute uses data gathered by portable StickNets (above) to evaluate wind events inculding tornadoes and hurricanes.

Texas Tech University's National Wind Institute (NWI) celebrated 50 years of wind research during a reception May 17 at Frazier Alumni Pavilion on the Texas Tech campus in Lubbock. The NWI is home to the Wind Science & Engineering (WiSE) doctoral program, the first doctoral degree program in wind science and engineering in the nation. John Schroeder, a professor of atmospheric science and the NWI's senior director, said the work of the NWI has undeniably influenced society's well-being.

Van Allen Appointed as Skelton Regents Professor

Jason Van Allen, an associate professor of clinical psychology and director of TTU's Clinical Psychology Program in the Department of Psychological Sciences, was appointed May 9, 2022, as the John G. Skelton, Jr. Regents Professor in Psychology. The appointment was approved by Texas Tech University President Schovanec and Provost Hendrick. The Skelton professorship was established in 2007 by the estate of John G. Skelton, Jr., who earned a doctorate in psychology from Texas Tech in 1967 and went on to become a prominent psychologist in San Antonio. 

April 2022

Anderson, Batra Receive President's Excellence Award for Diversity

Britta Anderson (left), an assistant professor of Spanish in the Department of Classical & Modern Language & Literatures, and Kanika Batra (right), a professor of comparative literature, globalization and translation in the Department of English, along with two Arts & Sciences undergraduates, were among eight recognized campuswide with diversity awards from TTU President Lawrence Schovanec. Follow this link for details about the winners' efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion.

Faculty Spring Convocation 2022

Each spring, faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences, along with faculty of other TTU colleges, gather to be recognized for their achievements during the annual Faculty Honors Convocation. Follow this link to see those from Arts & Sciences who were honored this year.

Wong Heads to Italy to Direct the American Academy in Rome

Aliza Wong, a professor in the Department of History and interim dean of the Honors College, has been appointed the 25th director of the American Academy in Rome (AAR) following a national search process. Wong begins her appointment in Rome in July 2022 and will serve a three-year term. She will maintain her faculty position at Texas Tech throughout her directorship. “The search committee was impressed with Aliza's scholarship, her immersion in multicultural work and her experience as an academic administrator,” said Mark Robbins, AAR President and CEO. “We are delighted to welcome her to the academy.” For more, follow this link.

Marshall Marks a Half-Century at Texas Tech

Philip Marshall, a professor of cognition and cognitive neuroscience in the Department of Psychological Sciences, has dedicated more than 50 years of service to Texas Tech University. With a major current interest in cognitive anthrozoology, or the study of human-animal interaction (HAI), Marshall is particularly interested in the way humans process information about companion animals. His other research interests include the comparison of aesthetic and religious experiences, and various phenomena pertaining to human memory. Marshall was hired as an assistant professor of psychology in the fall of 1971 and became a full professor in 1984. In 1998, he accepted a position as chair of the Department of Political Science, where he served for 11 years before becoming assistant dean of the College of Arts & Sciences. Marshall served three years in that role before returning full-time to the Department of Psychological Sciences, where he has dedicated himself to the study of HAI and the psychology of art. Read the full article at this link.

Schmidt Research Shows Birds Are Nesting Earlier Now Because of Climate Change

Kenneth Schmidt, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, is co-author on research that shows several bird species are now breeding as much as a month earlier than they did in the past. Published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, the project, entitled “Climate change affects bird nesting phenology: Comparing contemporary field and historical museum nesting records,” has attracted media attention in Chicago, where the current nesting data were collected and then compared with that of hundred-year-old eggs in the archives at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History.

15 from Arts & Sciences Nominated as Phenomenal Women 2022

In March, during Women's History Month, the call went out: Have you been positively impacted by a woman student, faculty member or staff member from Texas Tech University? You answered—with the names of 15 outstanding faculty members, staffers and students. Follow this link to meet Arts & Sciences' Phenomenal Women Nominees of 2022!

March 2022

Lumpkin Featured in Texas Tech Today for Teaching Award

Angela Lumpkin, professor and chair in the Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management, was featured in a Texas Tech Today article highlighting the achievements that led to her receiving a 2022 Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award earlier this year. Lumpkin started her teaching career at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill the same year she was named head women's basketball coach for the now-famous Tar Heels, so perhaps it comes as no surprise that, even today, she's as much of a coach and motivator as she is an educator. It's not just her nature – it's also her focus. Lumpkin specializes in how teaching and learning happen, including the areas of sport leadership, ethics and intercollegiate athletics. Perhaps that emphasis is one reason she's such a good teacher. Since arriving at Texas Tech in 2014, she's been selected to the university's Teaching Academy and subsequently elected chair of its executive council; received the 2018-2019 Faculty Spotlight Award from the Teaching, Learning & Professional Development Center; and received a 2019 President's Excellence in Teaching Award. She's also been honored for her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion; ethics; and assessment. In 2018, she received the North American Society for Sport Management's Distinguished Sport Management Educator Award. Read the complete article at this link.

Pal's Article in 'Atmospheres' Recognized as Top-Cited

Sandip Pal, an assistant professor of atmospheric science in the Department of Geosciences, is PI on “Observations of Greenhouse Gas Changes Across Summer Frontal Boundaries in the Eastern United States,” a NASA-funded project that published in the AGU Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. This research now has been recognized as a top-cited paper (2020-2021), counting more than 24 citations in one year.

Higgins Receives Distinguished Service Award

Raegan Higgins, an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, is the recipient of this year's Ron Barnes Distinguished Service to Students Award, granted by the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA). Higgins' award will be recognized at the Texas Section MAA awards banquet on April 1.

Thacker Elected Vice-Chair of Physics Teachers Association

Beth Thacker, an associate professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, has been elected vice-chair of the Texas Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), an organization dedicated to the teaching of physics at all levels. Her election as vice-chair puts Thacker next in line next to serve as president-elect, then president and finally past president of the Texas Section. 

Lindquist Developed Technology Behind Japanese Award

Nihon Visual Science, Inc. (NVS), a Japanese software firm based in Tokyo, is a recipient of the 34th Annual SME Chairman's Award in the Software Division for Excellent New Technology & Products by Small & Medium Enterprises. The award to NVS is for their software product “ExFact Analysis for Porous Media/Particles.” This software is based upon technology—developed by W. Brent Lindquist, a professor in Texas Tech's Department of Mathematics & Statistics—that was licensed to NVS while Lindquist was a faculty member at Stony Brook University. The technology developed by Lindquist and his former Ph.D. students at Stony Brook uses automated 3D recognition algorithms to analyze 3D microtomographic images to determine the stochastic structure of the binary space of pores and particles present in porous media (soil, concrete, pavement, oil and gas reservoirs, catalysts, membranes, filters, absorbents, print paper, wood, nanostructured materials, bone, biological tissues). The automated analysis feeds directly into further computational algorithms designed to simulate the flow of fluids through the porous medium. The award is given by the Resona SME Promotion Foundation, in collaboration with Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun and under the sponsorship of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, to recognize contribution to the development of Japanese industry.

Chatzakis Appointed to Summer Navy Research Program

Ioannis Chatzakis, an assistant professor of condensed matter physics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, has been appointed as a fellow in the Office of Naval Research Summer Faculty Research Program. Those chosen for the fellowship spend 10 weeks at one of several participating laboratories across the nation where they may broaden the scope of their research interests, use equipment/resources that may not be available at their home institution, and build a foundation that might allow them to pursue further research funding at their home institution.

Cooley Receives President's Emerging Engaged Scholarship Award

John Cooley, an assistant professor of clinical psychology in the Department of Psychological Sciences, received Texas Tech University's 2022 President's Emerging Engaged Scholarship Award for his project titled “Mental Health Screening and Prevention Within Elementary Schools.” In partnership with two elementary schools in Frenship Independent School District in April 2021, they developed a comprehensive, evidence-based child and teacher assessment to identify the mental health needs of students in third through fifth grade. Cooley's lab collected surveys, shared results with school administrators, and used these data to identify children experiencing high levels of peer conflict, which is a risk factor for a wide range of psychiatric disorders. They are now providing a group-based preventive intervention for these students, which will last through April 2022. 

Sarka, Poirier Awarded Time on Frontera Supercomputer

Chemistry research professor János Sarka, with professor and department chair William Poirier, received an award that grants them time on one of the world's most powerful academic supercomputers, Frontera. The Frontera Pathways award—which was rated highly competitive—is entitled “SwitchIT: Pushing the Limits of Computational Rovibrational Molecular Spectroscopy Simultaneously with Respect to System Size, Convergence Accuracy and Number of Computed States” and allocates 224,964 node hours on Frontera.

Four Receive R&D Seed Grants from International Affairs

Four Arts & Sciences professors have each received an International Research & Development Seed Grant from the TTU Office of International Affairs. These grants are intended to enhance international research and development activities, especially those that may develop new international relationships that are interdisciplinary and multi-institutional. They are:

• Nural Akchurin, the Arts & Sciences associate dean for research and professor of high energy physics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, will pursue “Imagining Queen Maeve's Cairn: Archaeology Meets Cosmic Muons” in Ireland.
• Wendy Chen, assistant professor of public administration in the Department of Political Science, will pursue “A Comparative Study of Cross-Sector Collaboration on Rural Economic Development” in Japan.
• Thomas Kupfer, assistant professor of astronomy and astrophysics in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, will pursue “Compact Binaries as Supernova Ia Progenitors” in Germany.
• Sandip Pal, assistant professor of atmospheric sciences in the Department of Geosciences, will pursue “Impact of Land-Atmosphere Feedback Processes on the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Dynamics Over an Arid Region Under Synoptically Active and Benign Weather Conditions” in India.

Karin Ardon-Dryer Leads Only U.S. Cohort of She Space International

Karin Ardon-Dryer, an assistant professor of atmospheric science in the Department of Geosciences, is mentoring high-school girls ages 14-16 toward careers in STEM through her affiliation with She Space International (SSI), a multi-national outreach and education program for the advancement of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Currently active in eight countries on five continents, She Space International, which began in 2018, has only one U.S. participant: Texas Tech. This year, Ardon-Dryer, three graduate student mentors and five high school students from Lubbock and Levelland meet in person biweekly. They also interact regularly with their counterparts in Germany, Israel, Ivory Coast, Peru, South Korea, Spain and Togo. Read the complete article at this link.

VIDEO: Gollahon Speaks on Obesity & Breast Cancer

Lauren Gollahon, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, spoke at the Celebration of Women's Health on March 8. The virtual event was held by Texas Terch University's Obesity Research Institute (ORI). Gollahon's topic: Obesity: Fanning the Flames of Breast Cancer Progression. Other speakers on the panel were Jennifer Phy, D.O., of TTU's Health Sciences Center; Betsy Goebel Jones, Ed.D., of the Laura Bush Institute for Women's Health; and Nannette Santoro from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Naima Moustaid-Moussa, Ph.D., ORI director; and Jannette Dufour, Ph.D., ORI associate director; welcomed viewers. The webinar was recorded and may be viewed at this link.

Cho Invited to Serve on 2 Editorial Boards

Seungjong Cho, assistant professor of social work in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work, has been invited to serve on the Editorial Board for Nature: Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. His term started in March 2022. This follows on a previous invitation to serve on the Editorial Board of The Gerontologist, a high-impact interdisciplinary journal published by the Gerontological Society of America and Oxford. His term with The Gerontologist began in February 2022.

VIDEO: Weiss Previews Major Study on Tornadoes in Southeast U.S.

Christopher Weiss, professor of atmospheric science in the Department of Geosciences, took part in a virtual overview of tornadic storms in the Southeastern United States. The research project, dubbed Propagation, Evolution and Rotation in Linear Storms (PERiLS), began March 1 and is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Storms in the Southeastern U.S. can pose a higher risk to people and property for two reasons: some storms, and the tornadoes they produce, can be challenging to predict in advance because they often develop and evolve quickly; and this part of the nation tends to be more vulnerable because of unique scientific and socioeconomic factors. The webinar was recorded and may be viewed at this link.

February 2022

Lee Leads Annual Science Fair for K-12 Students

Sung-Won Lee, physics professor and chair, at left. Remaining photos are from the 2022 South Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair.

Sung-Won Lee, physics professor and chair of the Department of Physics & Astronomy, welcomed some 250 K-12 students to the 2022 South Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The students came to present their projects in agricultural, biological, engineering, mathematical, and physical sciences. This year's fair, was held in-person at the United Supermarkets Arena on Feb. 25, 2022, with limited capacity due to the influence of COVID-19. “We brought the fair to our campus 26 years ago,” Lee said. “Many offices at Texas Tech, including College of Arts & Sciences, have generously provided support; and hundreds of students, teachers, family, and friends have visited the campus this year.” 

VIDEO: Interdisciplinary Panel Discusses Russia & Ukraine

The Department of History brought together an interdisciplinary panel of five specialist on Russia and Ukraine to discuss the current situation in Ukraine. They covered the history of Ukraine, its relationship with Russia, and the greater implications of Russia's attack on the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Panel members were: Alan Barenberg, Buena Vista Foundation Associate Professor and associate chair in the Department of History; Erin Collopy, associate professor of Russian in the Department of Classical & Modern Languages & Literatures (CMLL); Eric Hammersen of TTU's Institute for Peace & Conflict; Anthony Qualin Associate Professor of Russian in CMLL; and Frank Thames, professor in the Department of Political Science. History graduate student Kyle Rable served as panel host. Watch the video here.

Ramkumar Named Fellow by International Association

Seshadri Ramkumar, a professor of chemical countermeasures and advanced materials in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, has been named a TAPPI Fellow-Class of 2022 by the Technical Association of Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI). The international professional body elected its first class of fellows in 1968. Ramkumar has achieved international stature in his field through a career dedicated to researching and developing technical textiles, and with this recognition now holds fellowships across three continents. In addition to the fellowship with United States-based TAPPI, Ramkumar is a fellow of the world's oldest chartered professional textile association, The Textile Institute, based in the United Kingdom; and he is an honorary fellow (highest research recognition) of the world's largest fiber-fashion association, the India-based Textile Association India.

Wright Reflects on Black History Month

Nathaniel Wright, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science, assistant dean of strategic initiatives in the College of Arts & Sciences, and director of the Masters of Public Administration Program, shares his thoughts on Black History Month and invites the college to pause and reflect, then come together to fight racism and champion social justice. Read Nathaniel Wright's reflections at this link.

Wong and D'Amico Bring TTU Into Global Humanities Research Project

Aliza Wong and Stefano D'Amico, both history professors, were instrumental in bringing Texas Tech University into a global humanities research effort funded by the European Union (EU). Thanks to their efforts, Texas Tech is one of only four institutions in the United States—and one of only 15 worldwide—invited to participate in the two-year project. “Being accepted as one of the member institutions is a great honor and a recognition of Texas Tech's commitment to be a global partner in teaching, research and outreach and engagement,” said Wong, who also serves as interim dean of the Honors College. The project will see Texas Tech hosting humanities scholars from member institutions in Europe and Latin America. “This is a wonderful opportunity to work with outstanding humanists and a recognition of the global standing of Texas Tech,” D'Amico said. Read the full account at this link.

Hackenbracht Receives Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award

Ryan Hackenbracht, associate professor in the Department of English, was one of eight Texas Tech University faculty members to receive a 2022 Chancellor's Council Award, the highest honor bestowed by the TTU System. Hackenbracht received the Chancellor's Distinguished Research Award. The awards recognize faculty who demonstrate exemplary service and commitment to the achievement of the university. The awards come with a $5,000 stipend and an engraved medallion, made possible through philanthropic gifts to the Chancellor's Council. Read more about Ryan Hackenbracht's research this link.

Lumpkin Receives Chancellor's Council Distinguished Teaching Award

Angela Lumpkin, professor and chair of the Department of Kinesiology & Sports Management, was one of eight Texas Tech University faculty members to receive a 2022 Chancellor's Council Award, the highest honor bestowed by the TTU System. Lumpkin received the Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award. The awards recognize faculty who demonstrate exemplary service and commitment to the achievement of the university. The awards come with a $5,000 stipend and an engraved medallion, made possible through philanthropic gifts to the Chancellor's Council. Review the complete list of this year's recipients at this link.

Wagner Evaluates Pandemic's Effect on Wedding Industry

Brandon Wagner, an assistant professor of sociology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work, was featured in a recent WalletHub article about the Best Places to Get Married. Wallet Hub asked Wagner, “Has the pandemic changed the wedding services industry?” In response, Wagner cautioned that regional and local COVID-19 regulations might vary widely, even within the same metropolitan area. “For example, getting a marriage license in one county might require completing everything online and then waiting for limited appointment slots, while in other counties, couples could just walk up for their license as usual,” Wagner told WalletHub. “What this meant for couples seeking to marry is that you need to understand differences in policy and access to get the license necessary to marry. Those differences were readily apparent in 2020, but I am less certain if this is the case now.” But research is ongoing. Wagner and his research colleagues now are finding, in all the jurisdictions they have examined, that offices continued working during the pandemic, but the restrictions did potentially limit how many couples they could help each day. “Related to this, couples need to be mindful of differences in local policies for the weddings themselves,” Wagner said.

Kupfer Receives Funding for Hubble Research

Thomas Kupfer, assistant professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy, recently has received funding for three astronomy grants. The newest of these came from the Hubble Space Telescope. As Co-PI on the collaborative project, Kupfer said that that his research group at Texas Tech University has received the largest single amount of funding—$165,529—from the $275,331 project; the remaining funds will be shared among non-TTU scientists. In addition, in the past few months Kupfer also has been awarded grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the project “Ultracompact binaries: Gravitational wave sources and supernova Ia progenitors” and from NASA for the project “The population of LISA verification binaries and Galactic LISA foreground sources using BlackGEM and Gaia.”

Cristina Bradatan Invited to Join NSF Sociology Advisory Panel

Cristina Bradatan, a professor of sociology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work, has been invited to join the Sociology Advisory Panel at the National Science Foundation (NSF). The panel, which consists of 14-16 members who meet twice a year, is the primary advisory group that reviews sociology proposals submitted to the NSF.

January 2022

Ramkumar Studies Which Face Masks Offer Protection Against Omicron

As the Omicron variant surges, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected to issue more robust mask guidelines to help curb COVID-19 transmission. During personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, it has been necessary for people to utilize materials already at their disposal to craft their own face masks. Seshadri Ramkumar, a professor of chemical countermeasures and advanced materials in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, has co-authored a study utilizing standardized methods to evaluate common household fabrics as alternative materials for barrier face coverings. Olukayode James Ayodeji, a PhD candidate in the Department of Environmental Toxicology, conducted the standardized tests measuring the filtration efficiency (FE) of different facial coverings. Using mask filtration testing standards developed by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Ramkumar and his team compared the performance of popular ready-made facial coverings, such as bandanas and neck gaiters, to alternative household materials including denim, cotton shirts, bedding and towels. Both categories of materials were measured against R95 masks, which offer the highest level of protection against viral particles. To read their findings, follow this link. Ramkumar also has conducted a study on the effectiveness of double-masking, published Jan. 31 in the International Fiber Journal. 

Kendall Receives Founders Award for Environmental Toxicology Research

Ronald Kendall, a professor of environmental toxicology, has been selected to receive the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry's (SETAC) 2021 Founders Award for his contributions to environmental research. Kendall will be presented with the award by the SETAC World Council and the SETAC Global Awards Committee in Copenhagen, Denmark, in May. The highest honor SETAC can bestow, the Founders Award is granted once yearly to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to scientific development. Kendall has spent much of his scientific career studying the ecological impacts of environmental contaminants on wildlife and promoting a more ecological approach to environmental risk assessment. "Dr. Kendall richly deserves this recognition,” said Michael Honeycutt, director of the Toxicology, Risk Assessment and Research Division for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. “His cutting-edge research has led to innumerable advances in the field of ecotoxicology.” Follow this link to read the complete article.

Suhas Pol Is TTU's PI on Award-Winning Project

Suhas Pol, interim director and associate professor of practice at the Wind Energy Program (Wind Energy Education)  and a member of the Energy Systems faculty at TTU's National Wind Institute, is Texas Tech University's principal investigator (PI) on a patented project that won a place among the 2021 R&D 100 Awards. The project, called AeroMINE, is a novel wind energy harvesting technology for buildings, and was developed in a collaboration between TTU, Sandia National Laboratory and AeroMINE Technologies Inc.

Tosha Dupras Named Dean of Arts & Sciences

Tosha Dupras has been named dean of Texas Tech University's College of Arts & Sciences, the university announced on Jan. 7. She begins in the role June 1. Dupras has served as senior associate dean of the University of Central Florida's College of Sciences since October and as a professor in the Department of Anthropology since 2015. She previously served as interim dean of the college and department chair. Dupras has been at the University of Central Florida since 1999. Prior to that, she spent one year as a visiting instructor at the University of Calgary. A native of Canada, Dupras earned her bachelor's degree in archaeology from Simon Fraser University in 1993, master's degree in human biology from the University of Guelph in 1995 and her doctorate in anthropology from McMaster University in 1999. Her dissertation was nominated for the Canadian Distinguished Dissertation of the Year in 2000. Read the complete article about Tosha Dupras at this link.

 

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